exiguous

adjective

ex·​ig·​u·​ous ig-ˈzi-gyə-wəs 

: excessively scanty : inadequate

wrest an exiguous existence from the land

exiguous evidence

exiguously adverb

exiguousness noun

Did you know?

Exiguous is so expansive sounding that you might expect it to mean "extensive" instead of "meager." Even a scanty glimpse at the word's etymology will disabuse you of that notion, however. Exiguous derives from the Latin exiguus, which has the same basic meaning as the modern English term. Exiguus, in turn, derives from the Latin verb exigere, which is variously translated as "to demand," "to drive out," or "to weigh or measure." The idea of weighing or measuring so precisely as to be parsimonious or petty gave exiguous its present sense of inadequacy. Just so we aren't accused of being skimpy with the details, we should also mention that exigere is the parent term underlying other English words including exact and exigent.

Synonyms

• hand-to-mouth
• light
• meager
• meagre
• niggardly
• poor
• scant
• scanty
• scarce
• skimp
• skimpy
• slender
• slim
• spare
• sparing
• sparse
• stingy

Examples of exiguous in a Sentence

computer equipment that would be prohibitively expensive, given the rural school's exiguous resources

Recent Examples on the Web

And because those games can be exiguous, mid-major teams can ill afford to squander those opportunities when presented. —Michael Arinze, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2023

The holiday sales came as a jolt after China’s exiguous ticket sales of recent weeks. —Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Oct. 2022

Their taste is undeveloped or chronically exiguous. —Brian T. Allen, National Review, 2 Apr. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Latin exiguus, from exigere

First Known Use

1630, in the meaning defined above

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